Afterlife
by BlondieSoNotPretty
Summary: Naruto's ghost reflects how much he loves Sasuke, fifteen years after his own death


**To clear up a potentionally confusing matter, Naruto is dead, and this is his ghost's POV**

**This came after I was reading a Sylvia Brown book, where she talked about what happens after you die. And from that... my clumsy, short-nailed fingers typed this out. Oneshot, nothing more.**

**I don't own Naruto**

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You can feel me, I know you can. 

Around others, our old friends, your in-laws, and your so-called beloved wife Sakura, you pretend not to feel my presence. But you do, I know you do.

I must say, the years have been good to you, my love! How old are you now, thirty? Thirty-five? I have to look at the calendar on your wall to find out. My god, it has been a long time, hasn't it? You're forty-five years old now! You dont look it, you look twenty-five, if that. Its been fifteen long years, but to me it feels like fifteen minutes. Believe them when they say there is no time after death.

Do you remember when we first met, Sasuke? A little over three decades ago. You were such a childish, pouting emo boy, with the nicest ass I'd ever seen! Not much has changed, except for maybe you've gotten more built. I can see your abs through your shirt. I see you in your room, in your house, alone again. Sakura isn't there, she's probably off with Ino gossiping about how lucky she is to have married you. She shows you off like a trophy, polishes you up, makes your non-existant love life into a grand fairy-tale to make all her petty little friends green with envy. I see how much it hurts you, even though I am only a ghost. I see how lonely you are, if only I could hold you again! Hold you and let you know I love you, love you like no one else ever could. Che, why do you put up with her? My precious Teme, stop letting her do this to you!

Ah, there is someone else in the room now, someone who is much younger. I watch her throw her arms around you and give you a kiss on the cheek, and it makes me warm to the core. No, I am not jealous of this one. Your daughter is very beautiful, Sasuke. My god she looks like you! How old is she now? Twelve? Yes, twelve. Her birthday marks another occasion which I admit, makes me a little sad. The first and only time you slept with her mother. You hug her close, you aren't alone anymore. The love you have for your daughter, its one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. The last time I felt anything like it was when we were together, so long ago.

She's looking directly at me now, her black hair framing those peircing red orbs. Her sharingan is permanently on, but it never seemed to hurt her in any way. You dont know this, but it mixed with her mother's ESP, and she can see me. I hold my fingers to my lips, its our secret. She feels like a freak because of it, and despite my best efforts to convince her it is a gift, she hates it. She doesnt like seeing or hearing ghosts. Plus, I think its better for you that she doesnt let you talk to me, especially after whats happened in the past.

_Flashback_

_A little four year-old girl with red eyes and black hair waddled into the living room, dragging her fuzzy brown teddy behind her. She really wasn't supposed to be awake, her daddy had explained that her mother wanted to have a "Grownups Only Party", so she had to stay in her bed for the night. Nobody took much notice of her anyways. Her pink-haired mother was standing with her girlfriends, squabbling about the price of plates. She found her daddy sitting in the corner of the room, examining the party going on around him without much interest. Then he noticed he, and a warm smile cracked on his face.._

_"Hey, Kimmy! You know you arent supposed to be up!" He scooped her into his lap. "I would normally let you stay up a little later, but your mama wants you in bed." He smoothed her hair, but still made no attempt to take her back to her room._

_"Please Daddy? Please just five minutes! I'm a good girl, I dont get into any troo-bell!" She carefully pronounced the last word._

_"I guess I don't see why not. I could use some company..." he trailed off a little. "But lets keep it our little secret. I dont want your mommy screaming at you again!"_

_Little Kimmy nodded. They sat in silence for a few moments, when the little girls spoke up. "You know, I don't think Mommy likes me very much."_

_Sasuke was stunned at his daughters words. It was true that Sakura had never liked the little girl much, but Sasuke had tried to hide it as best as he could. "What are you talking about, honey? Mommy loves you very much, she just has a funny way of showing it."_

_The little girl made a small noise, and they sat in silence for a few more moments. Kimmy examined all the faces in the room, labeling them all in her mind. The guy who does mommy's hair, the lady at the shoe store, the nice old gardener and his wife who let her have picnics with them sometimes. All old framiliar faces. Then her eyes rested upon one she had seen before, but never knew his name. "Daddy, who's that?" she pointed at an empty corner._

_"You mean Margaret?" He thought she was talking about the fat lady a few feet away._

_"No, no." she said impatiently. "I mean that man in the corner. Don't you know him? Sometimes he comes and plays house and tag with me."_

_Sasuke thought his little girl was showing him an imaginary playmate. "Well, could you tell me what he looks like Kim?"_

_The little girl squinted to get a better look. "He has big blue eyes... and blond hair. Its so messy daddy! He should brush it more!"_

_Sasuke's mouth turned to ash, his tongue becamw dry and prickly. Could she be talking about - no, his old lover was dead! That was impossible! She must have seen a photograph of Naruto, yes, that was it! But still, his curiosity and love of Naruto got the better of him, and he pressed little Kimmy to tell him more._

_"He has dark skin, its really brown. Like those ladies you see on tv and then say they are going to go get skin cancer. And three wrinkles in his cheeks, like Poppy Haruno, but he isn't old." She glanced up at her father worriedly. "Daddy, are you okay?!"_

_Sasuke's pale skin had turned white. His clammy hands gripped onto the armrests tightly, his knuckles had began to blanche. His breathing was harsh and shallow and his chest heaved visibly. Naruto, here? But... he's dead, how? Suddenly, he scooped up his little daughter. "Time for bed!" He stated, a little too loudly. With a plastic smile spread across his face, he darted past the guests and carried the little girl into her room. "Kimmy, I want you to tell me everything about this man you saw. Every detail from his fingernails to his nose!" He snarled, sitting her hard on the bed. Sasukes voice had become hoarse and rough, his sharingan flaring in his eyes._

_"Daddy, you're scaring me!" Kimmy cried._

_"Please Kimmy..." Sasuke swallowed. "Please, does he have a mark on his tummy? Ask him! Ask him now, Kimmy!"_

_The little girl had tears running down her face. She had never seen her father like this, and it scared her. "He can hear you daddy... and he has the mark." She examined the man, who had lifted up his shirt to show her a pattern encircling his navel. At that moment, Kimmy hated him more than ever. "GO AWAY!" She screamed at the blond man. "Go away and don't come back! You're making my daddy mean and crazy! I hate you, dont come back, I wont ever play with you again! You big butthead!"_

_Sasuke finally realized how afraid his daughter was, but he couldn't stop himself. Naruto was near him, and so many supressed emotions had risen up and taken control of him. Then, as quickly as he had become riled up, he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him from behind and a calming peace flow through his troubled mind. He closed his eyes, letting relief wash through his body and soul._

_"He's holding you daddy," Kimmy spoke up, tears drying on her face as her fear left her face._

_"Yes, I can feel him." Sasuke murmured softly, finally opening his eyes._

_"Daddy?"_

_"Yes Kim?"_

_"He says he's going now, he wont come back and hurt you again." Kimmy looked at her lap as she pushed the words through her lips. "But I dont want him to leave! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it! I want him to stay and be my new mommy!"_

_It took Sasuke a moment before he burst out laughing at the hilarity of his little girl's statement. Then his laughts faded into sobs, him collapsing on his knees. "No - no!" Sasuke choked out. "No, Kim! Tell him not to leave me again! He cant leave me alone again!" Sasuke was beside himself with grief. He had felt Naruto hold him, and now he was gone again!_

_"He wants me to tell you something," Kimmy looked down at her father's obsidian eyes as tears spilled onto his cheeks. "He says the question you asked him at his grave, the anwser is 'You never did anything wrong."'_

_Sasuke pulled his little girl into a giant hug. "Please, Naruto, don't leave me again..."_

_End Flashback_

You looked so hopeless at that moment, how could I leave you? And you have no idea how much it tore me apart when you came to my tombstone and asked me to forgive you every day! I meant it when I said it, you never did anything wrong. Yes, you did leave me for Sakura, but I know it was only because you needed an heir. Remember I even gave you my blessing to marry her? It hurt, but it was what was right for you and thats all that mattered to me.

She's in bed now, asleep. Such an angel Sasuke, sometimes I wish I really was her mommy! Even if it meant I'd have to sprout a vagina... You're looking at my picture again. God, I wish you would get rid of that thing. You go to so much trouble to hide it from Sakura, she always hated the love you had for me. I know she would make you destroy it, but maybe it would be for the best. Then you wouldn't ask yourself that same question, 'Could I have stopped you?' You mean my suicide? The anwser is no, love. You knew what had happened, the Kyuubi had gotten too strong, she would have taken over my body if I hadn't done something!

You had another man in your bed yesterday, didnt you? I hate it when you do this, when you go out, find some cheap sleazy, blond slut in the bar who's had too much to drink, and you'll bring him home and have your way with him, calling out my name as you come. I hate this, you only hurt yourself and insult my memory. I would never whore around like these men do, and I don't want you getting sick, Sasuke! I'd never forgive myself if you got something from one of these whores, pretending he was me.

Now you're in your bed again, its three AM. You still sleep naked? I bet Sakura likes that... Its the closest thing she has to sleeping with you. Please, get some sleep, try and forget me, its for your own good darling.

I see the light again Sasuke. My god, its so beautiful! There's a crowd of people calling out to be, trying to bring me in. Theres Iruka and Kakashi (still all over each other, even in heaven!), Jiyarra, and... my parents. Sasuke I can see my mom and dad!

I'm walking towards the light, you're asleep this time, maybe now I can go. As I get closer and close, I can feel the healing power wash over me, a great peace flows through me. Oh, it's so wonderful! But then I see you... you've woken up and you're calling to me.

"No, no, no! Naruto I can't feel you near me! Come back, COME BACK! I need you here with me!" I watch you deperately claw around yourself, searching for my presence and sobbing with tears pouring down your cheeks. I have to come back to you, back to this desperately lonely existance where no one can see me and I cant talk to anyone. Its so awful! But I can't just leave you like this... so pathetic and alone.

I feel you relax as I wrap my ghostly arms around you, I see peace wash through your troubled eyes. You lie back down, and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. Maybe one day you can forget about me and we can both move on and be happy, both find peace. But for now...

_Hush, my love. I'm right here._

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**Like it? Hate it? Think I'm an idiot? Let me know!**


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